The present invention relates to electronic newsgroups and more particularly pertains to providing effective access to data in a discussion database by allowing the subscription to various information via a single descriptive interface.
In the past, instructional databases have been commonly used to provide users with a plethora of information. Such information may be used to execute various tasks or enable the users to accomplish a goal. Often, such instructional databases may be stored on a centralized server and provide access to a plurality of client computers via a network. In some instances, such network is the Internet in which case the database is accessed via a web site.
Such prior art instructional databases, however, often utilize a conventional hypertext system which makes it particularly difficult to navigate the information in a progression that the original designers intended without sacrificing the ability of the user to freely navigate the information. Further, none of such prior art instructional databases allow an effective exchange of ideas in order to achieve a goal at hand.
Still yet another feature that the prior art instructional databases lack is the ability to track a progression of an effort to achieve an intended goal. Finally, the prior art instructional databases have never been used to facilitate a merger and acquisition situation.
A method for facilitating effective access to application specific data in a discussion database. In use, the data is received from multiple users in a plurality of categories. To disseminate the data, access is provided to the data via an interface which not only lists, but also describes the categories. By describing the categories, a user may effectively select the categories on the interface which are most relevant. Such selection in turn subscribes the user to the data in the selected categories.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the data relates to information which may be used by participants of a merger/acquisition. Further, the categories may be listed in a hierarchy. For example, the categories may include a plurality of broad topics and a plurality of specific topics, wherein each specific topic is encompassed by at least one of the broad topics.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the categories are described by an accompanying string of descriptive data. As an option, the string of descriptive data constitutes a link to the data. As such, a user may subscribe and access the categories of data by executing only one user action.